Spin Cycle: Blue State Governors Draw Battle Lines

A growing number of Blue State governors have begun to draw battle lines over President Donald Trump’s use of National Guard troops and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to clean up violent crime — and expedite the deportation of criminal illegals — in major cities all across the country.

For those who don’t spend their Sunday mornings glued to the television — and their Sunday afternoons attempting to dig through a week’s worth of network and cable news media spin — The Daily Wire has compiled a short summary of what you may have missed.

Governor Wes Moore (D-MD) joined host Martha Raddatz on ABC’s “This Week,” and he began by blaming Trump for the animosity between them and claiming that he would “love” help from the Trump administration to clean up his city.

Moore, who just recently claimed that his state was perfectly safe and effectively dared Trump to go for a walk with him to prove it, told Raddatz he would welcome help from Trump to reduce the crime rate in Baltimore “instead of this arrogant criticism and cynicism that he continues to introduce into the conversation.”

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore told @MarthaRaddatz that he would “love” help from President Trump to continue crime reduction efforts in Baltimore “instead of this arrogant criticism and cynicism that he continues to introduce into the conversation.” https://t.co/ck8wwBFBP4 pic.twitter.com/iduozQAoyG

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) August 31, 2025

Moore continued to buck Trump’s suggestion that the National Guard ought to play a role, arguing that the military should not be utilized in that fashion. Trump has argued that since their deployment in Washington, D.C., has been quite effective, the same should be done in other major cities with similar crime problems.

“As the commander in chief of the Maryland National Guard, I am not just deeply respectful, but very cognizant of the skill sets that our national guards bring. And the National Guard is not trained for municipal policing,” Moore told Raddatz.

“As the commander in chief of the Maryland National Guard, I am not just deeply respectful, but very cognizant of the skill sets that our national guards bring. And the National Guard is not trained for municipal policing,” Gov. Wes Moore said. https://t.co/tvpdB5DCpf pic.twitter.com/Vt3dzrlvyb

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) August 31, 2025

The Maryland Governor — who has been floated as a potential Democratic presidential candidate in 2028 — went on to defend his criticisms of Trump, arguing that he was only doing it in the service of the people in his state: “I have no interest in fighting with the president, but I have an interest in fighting for my communities and fighting for our people.”

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore defended his rhetoric against Pres. Trump over crime in Baltimore amid their escalating feud: “I have no interest in fighting with the president, but I have an interest in fighting for my communities and fighting for our people.” https://t.co/ePGtbHEyNN pic.twitter.com/CNkY5sihDc

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) August 31, 2025

On CBS News’ broadcast of “Face the Nation,” Governor JB Pritzker (D-IL) took a remarkably similar posture. While claiming he’d welcome help from the federal government to address violent crime, Pritzker also claimed that his state — even Chicago — was making great progress and said he’d fight back if Trump’s help came in the form of ICE agents or the National Guard.

“They’ll be in court pretty quickly,” he said of the Trump administration.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker says he hopes the Trump administration doesn’t send National Guard troops, along with ICE and other federal agents, to Chicago in the coming weeks as part of its crackdown on crime, but if it does, “they’ll be in court pretty quickly,” he warns.

“That… pic.twitter.com/BV9AfXkuoa

— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) August 31, 2025

Pritzker went on to chastise Trump for pointing out the violent crime rampant in Chicago, claiming instead that the biggest crime problems were in red states. What he did not mention was the fact that those cities were almost all controlled by Democratic mayors.

“He wakes up in the morning and whatever whim strikes him is what he apparently says. And recently, I guess, I’ve been living rent-free in his head. Notice he never talks about where the most violent crime is occurring, which is in red states,” Pritzker said.

In response to President Trump calling Chicago “a hellhole” in recent days, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker says the city “apparently is living rent-free” in the president’s head.

“He wakes up in the morning and whatever whim strikes him is what he apparently says. And recently, I… pic.twitter.com/3qip71RBZU

— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) August 31, 2025

Pritzker claimed he “would love more help” from the Trump administration, but added, “We don’t want troops on the streets of American cities.”

“He’s taking away federal funding for those programs, which are so important to us. We’ve increased funding at the state level, but we need that federal funding,” Pritzker said.

Illinois “would love more help” from federal agents to fight crime across the state and in the city of Chicago, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker says. But he pushes back on the Trump administration’s potentially sending National Guard troops to Chicago to assist law enforcement, telling… pic.twitter.com/kGzCMnspPT

— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) August 31, 2025

He went on to compare Trump to Hitler, explaining, “I built a Holocaust museum. I know what the history was of a constitutional republic being overturned, after an election, in 53 days. And I’m very, very concerned. It’s thwart the media. It’s create mayhem that requires military interdiction. These are things that happen throughout history, and Donald Trump is just following that playbook.”

Gov. JB Pritzker (D-IL) when asked if he believes President Trump is an authoritarian:

“I built a Holocaust museum. I know what the history was of a constitutional republic being overturned, after an election, in 53 days. And I’m very, very concerned,” he says. “It’s thwart the… pic.twitter.com/pCqgYz9oiF

— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) August 31, 2025

The Illinois Governor — who has also been rumored to have presidential aspirations — then claimed that shootings were also “down significantly” in Chicago before he pivoted to push for even more gun control.

“I very much believe that people who have a right to own a gun should be able to go get one, but that you’ve got to have universal background checks. You’ve got to make sure that you’re not selling guns that give someone the ability to commit a mass attack, in a school or anywhere else,” he said.

Asked how Illinois’ new gun laws will help stop shootings at churches and schools, Gov. JB Pritzker says shootings “are down significantly” in the city of Chicago and across the state.

“I very much believe that people who have a right to own a gun should be able to go get one,… pic.twitter.com/skjNOG0CC1

— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) August 31, 2025